Pelargonium plant named ‘Pacletta’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Zonal Geranium plant named ‘Pacletta’, characterized by its upright and uniformly rounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; and red purple-colored semi-double flowers held above the foliar plane on strong peduncles.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium x hortorum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PACLETTA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of ZonalGeranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium x hortorum, andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Pacletta’.

The new Zonal Geranium plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to develop new uniform Zonal Geranium plants withdark green-colored leaves and numerous attractive flowers.

The new Zonal Geranium plant originated from a cross-pollination made bythe Inventor in Dresden, Germany during the summer of 2011 of twounnamed proprietary selections of Pelargonium x hortorum, not patented.The new Zonal Geranium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventoras a flowering plant from within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden,Germany during the spring of 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Zonal Geranium plant by vegetativeterminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden,Germany since January, 2013 has shown that the unique features of thisnew Zonal Geranium plant are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not been observed under allpossible combinations of environmental conditions and culturalpractices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironmental conditions such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Pacletta’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Pacletta’ as a new and distinct Zonal Geraniumplant:

-   -   1. Upright and uniformly rounded plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely basal branching habit.    -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   5. Freely flowering habit.    -   6. Red purple-colored semi-double flowers held above the foliar        plane on strong peduncles.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium differ primarily from plants of theparent selections in plant habit as plants of the new Zonal Geranium aremore uniform than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium can be compared to plants of thePelargonium x hortorum ‘Paclice’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.25,335. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Zonal Geraniumdiffer from plants of ‘Paclice’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium are more freely branching        than plants of ‘Paclice’.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Zonal Geranium are darker green        in color and do not have a discernible zonation pattern whereas        leaves of plants of ‘Paclice’ are lighter green in color and        have a distinct zonation pattern.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Zonal Geranium plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Zonal Geranium plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical floweringplant of ‘Pacletta’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in 19-cm containers during the spring,summer and autumn in a glass-covered greenhouse in Dresden, Germany andunder cultural practices typical of commercial Zonal Geraniumproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperaturesaveraged 18° C., night temperatures averaged 16° C. and light levelsranged from 15 kilolux to 100 kilolux. Plants were three months old whenthe photograph was taken and nine months old when the detaileddescription was taken. In the detailed description, color references aremade to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium x hortorum ‘Pacletta’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Pelargonium x hortorum, not patented.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Pelargonium x hortorum, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 22 days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 18° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white in color,            actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate            composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate            temperature and age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and uniformly rounded plant            habit; inverted triangle; densely foliated; moderately            vigorous growth habit; moderate growth rate; freely basal            branching habit with about 20 lateral branches developing            per plant; pinching is not required.        -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 30 cm.        -   Plant height, to top of foliar plane.—About 20 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 35 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 20 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.            Internode length: About 1.5 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color:            Close to 144A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite and alternate; simple.        -   Length.—About 5.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 8.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Rounded; roughly reniform.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Cordate, open.        -   Margin.—Bi-crenate.        -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; velvety.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 139A; venation, close to 139A. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation,            close to 147C. Zonation pattern: Not discernible.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 7 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; rough. Color, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 147B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Semi-double flowers            arranged in roughly hemispherical umbels arising from apical            leaf axils; umbels displayed above the foliar plane on            strong peduncles; flowers face upright to outwardly; freely            flowering habit with about 17 flower buds and flowers per            umbel and about 18 umbels developing per plant.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 85 days after            planting; in the garden in Germany, flowering begins in            April and continues until frost in the autumn.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about six to ten days on the            plant; umbels last about three to four weeks on the plant;            flowers persistent.        -   Umbel height.—About 5 cm.        -   Umbel diameter.—About 7 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 5 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 2 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Shape: Round. Color: Close to 146B and 175A.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About six; petals imbricate.            Length: About 2.5 cm. Width: About 2 cm. Shape: Obovate.            Apex: Rounded. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: When            opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 66A;            towards the base, close to 155D; venation, close to 66A;            color becoming closer to 74A with development. When opening            and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 66C; venation,            close to 66A; color does not change with development.        -   Petaloids.—Quantity per flower: None to about three arranged            at the center of the flower. Length: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm.            Width: About 3 mm to 5 mm. Shape: Irregularly shaped. Apex:            Acute to rounded. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth to crinkled, glabrous.            Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close            to 66A; towards the base, close to 155D; venation, close to            66A; color becoming closer to 74A with development. When            opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 66C;            venation, close to 66A; color does not change with            development.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five arranged in a single            whorl. Length: About 1.1 cm. Width: About 2.5 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface:            Pubescent. Color, upper surface: Distally, close to 146B;            proximally, close to 175A. Color, lower surface: Close to            146B.        -   Peduncles (umbel stems).—Length: About 10 cm. Diameter:            About 4 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: Mostly upright.            Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 166A.        -   Pedicels (individual flower stems).—Length: About 2 cm.            Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong; flexible.            Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 175A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:            About ten. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Tubular.            Anther color: Close to 180A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen            color: Close to 167A. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per flower:            One. Pistil length: About 8 mm. Stigma shape: Five-parted.            Stigma color: Close to 61A. Style length: About 3 mm. Style            color: Close to 61A. Ovary color: Close to 148D. Seeds and            fruits: Seed and fruit development have not been observed on            plants of the new Zonal Geranium.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Zonal    Geraniums.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have been    observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about    35° C. to 40° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Zonal Geranium plant named‘Pacletta’ as illustrated and described.